Cape lion

Extinct lion population in South Africa / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Cape lion was a distinctive population of lions in South Africa's Natal and Cape Provinces that was extirpated in the mid-19th century.[1][2] The type specimen originated at the Cape of Good Hope and was described in 1842.[3]

Quick facts: Cape lion, Scientific classification...
Cape lion
Male at Jardin des plantes, Paris circa 1860
Male at Jardin des plantes, Paris circa 1860
Scientific classificationEdit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Species: P. leo
Subspecies: P. l. melanochaita
Population: Cape lion
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Traditionally, the Cape lion was considered a distinct subspecies of lion, Panthera leo melanochaita.[4][5] However, phylogeographic analysis has shown that lion populations in Southern and East Africa are closely related.[6][7] In 2017, the subspecies Panthera leo melanochaita was recircumscribed to include all lion populations in Southern and East Africa.[8]